Tourist sparks backlash after posing nude on steps of Italian cathedral: ‘Shameful’

The trio reportedly told police they were trying to capture a memory of their trip

A British tourist has sparked backlash after she was filmed posing nude on the steps of an Italian cathedral with just a red veil of fabric as coverage.

The incident took place on Monday when three tourists visiting Italy’s Amalfi Coast were seen staging the impromptu photoshoot on the steps of the cathedral of Amalfi.

The stunt was captured by locals, according to local news outlet Amalfi Notizie, which shared a video of the photoshoot on Facebook. The shoot included a male photographer, the model and an assistant.

In the clip, the woman, who some outlets have identified as an influencer, could be seen posing on the steps near the cathedral doors with the piece of fabric draped around her otherwise naked figure. As she posed for the male photographer in front of doors cast in Constantinople in 1067, the female assistant could be seen artfully arranging the veil.

“[This] is crazy. Are they crazy?” the woman who captured the moment could be heard saying in Italian as she watched the tourists.

According to the outlet, the “model” arrived at the location fully clothed, but began undressing on the steps shortly after. The video shows others in the square stopping to watch the spectacle.

The backdrop of the unauthorised photoshoot has added to the backlash, as one local noted the mediaeval cathedral, dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew whose relics are said to be kept inside, is a place of worship. per CNN.

“That it happened at the church is what made the episode so shocking,” Laura Thayer, an art historian who lives in Amalfi and writes the Ciao Amalfi blog, told CNN. “The Duomo is a place of worship and a place very close to the hearts of the Amalfitani. That specific backdrop touches the historic memory of the locals. The bronze doors hearken back to the days of the Republic of Amalfi. These doors open for processions, for weddings, for funerals - moments that make life. Yes, it’s beautiful, but Amalfi is so much more than a pretty backdrop for a photo on social media.”

The photoshoot was also met with criticism on Facebook, where one person claimed they’d understand if the photos had been taken in front of a “beautiful sculpture,” but that it was “shameful” they were staged in front of a church.

“The scandalous thing is not the fact that she is doing a nude photo shoot, but that she has chosen the facade of a church as the location,” another person wrote. “Couldn’t [they have chosen] the beach or maybe a pastry shop?”

According to local news outlet Positano News, the tourists were apprehended by police before leaving the town and taken to the municipal police station,where they reportedly told officers they had been trying to create a memory of their trip.

A representative for the Amalfi police told CNN that the police had referred the group to the public prosecutors office for “obscene acts in a public place”.